my first batch

[Guest guest]

Thanks to everyone who answered my questions. As suggested, I removed the

wax paper from under the soaps and now they are happily drying on the cookie

rack. Now that I gained the courage to take my first step, there's no

stopping me now )

Annie

[Guest guest]

>Now that I gained the courage to take my first step, there's no

>stopping me now )

>

Annie,

Now that you are hooked, " Welcome to *Soaper's Anonymous* " .

Tina

[Guest guest]

Very interesting Deb... I will take one of those bars.... It has to be good.

..

For smaller batches it is even more important to have a good scale...larger

batches have a little more room for error. but not much... When I mix my

soap I keep my pot in the sink and mix slowly and use a hand blender on and

off . but make sure it is on the bottom of the pan This speeds the process

to reach trace...quite a bit.... I hope you had your goggles on... !!

It so much fun to make soap......!!!

Kim

-- MY FIRST BATCH

>

>Well gals..I'm still alive...barely...!!!! LOL!!!! I thought I was all

ready

>for this...I first melted my weighed oils..on a bad kitchen scale...mistake

>#1 in a stainless steel soup pot with 1 handle...I saved it for

>something...soapmaking I guess..the pot is big around and squatty...I think

>that was mistake #2...The 3nd was my plastic gloves are lost that I bought

>for soapmaking...but that was ok..I used 2 long oven

>mits that came up to the elbow...and darn good thing too!!!!!!! I mixed the

>the weighed lye...weighed on the same bad scale...that was the easiest and

>best part...no clumping..no smell...must be my allergies..the next part

>wasn't so easy...striving for temp of 100 for both oils and lye...lye too

>hot...oils too cold...heat oils...cool lye...lye to cold oils to

>hot...finally it was within a few degrees and I went for

>it....LOL!!!!!!....it was an ugly

>dishwater mixture... next problem...stick blender missing....well I saw

them

>use a kitchen mixer in SOAPMAKERS COMPANION....so I thought what the

>heck....No wonder you have such clean kitchens!!!!!! LOL!!!!!! Now my

mixture

>was everywhere....The stove..the wall...the cabinets...the dishwasher...the

>floor...So I mixed...and mixed...and mixed...and mixed...I thought I'd be

>ready for social security!!!!!!!...And...I'm only 41.....LOL!!!!!!!!....

Well

>3

>hours later...I felt it was ready...I added ameretto fo...and mixed some

>more....It was the soap or me!!!!!..when I poured it in the molds...I

needed

>to spread it a little...I think it finally traced..I'm not really sure!!!!!

>It was like pudding but not as thick as I was expecting...By the way...what

>do I do with my clothes.?????.....Burn them...That can get real expensive..

I

>also have 3 lye burns....2 on forehead...and 1 on neck...what heals

>those???? next time I'm wearing a mask!!!! ....LoL!!!!!! HEAR THAT>>>NEXT

>TIME!!!!!!! Well the kitchen is cleaned...the soap is in bed...I'm

>showered.....Doesanyone have a faster tracing recipe to share????.....I did

>learn a lot though and I won't be making the same mistakes again. What do

you

>think made this so long to get to trace???? It was 2oz cocoa butter...4oz

>coconut oil...4oz palm kernal oil....22 oz soybean oil...4.25 oz lye...11oz

>water....mixed at 100....Was it the amount of soybean???? The temp??? Too

>much water???? By the way if anyone wants to buy this soap it is 100.00 per

>ounce!!!!!!!! LOL!!!!!!!!! Debbie Z. in Pa.

>

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

That was 3 years ago....I have gotten better over time.......but my 1st batch

was a real trip....I had to save the story...cos I knew so many other 1st

timers would need inspiration to go on.....LOL!!!!!!

Debbie Z. in Pa.